are you aware of the statement by the taliban? >> i am, sir. is the president's announcement of this winstrol make your job -- if confirmed, i assure you will be -- harder, more difficult and challenging or easier? >> senator, thats a difficult question to answer. >> i'm sure it is. at's why i asked it. >> not been confirmed yet or being the commander, have no ability to access with great accuracy of this particular moment. as the chairman said, the announced decision was a bit more aggressive than we had anticipated that he supported the decision congenital petraeus supports the decision and is working now to begin the implementation of the decision and we anticipated the forces would be coming out and there's a lot that h to happen between now and the end of this year and the end of the purpose of the drawdown. >> i appreciate that and i appreciate your answer. >> i talked to probably 20 retired and active-duty military leaders since the president's announcement made to the challenges are enormous the question is whether we will still be able